‘Based on “semiosis,” the relationship between a sign, an object, and a meaning.
The sign represents the object, or referent, in the mind of an interpreter.
“Interpretant” refers to a sign that serves as the representation of an object.’
Semiotics means the study of signs, this its taken from the Greek word for sign, ‘Sema’. This helps us read messages in a much simpler manner. It is basically an easy was to communicate information without using paragraphs or a lot of information.
Colour Definitions
Semiotics therefore is the study of visual signs and can expand to the following:
- Drawings
- Photographs
- Paintings
- Words
- Sounds
- Body Language
Semiotics is influenced by culture manipulated by:
- Religion
- Government
- Education etc.
‘Something, which stands to somebody for something in some respect of capacity’. Charles S. Peirce on Semiotics, 1955.
In this theory an icon is used to portray a meaning, this is a pictorial representation of an object, used heavily in multimedia. There are three different types of these;
- Icons: Represent an idea of symbolically.
- Picons: Clearer representation, mostly throughout photography.
- Micons: Move into animation.
Then there is two types of things which help us relate to an image;
INDEX – This gives us a Indirect linkage to an object. (If you think of smoke you immediately think of a fire).
SYMBOLS – This gives us a direct linkage. (Done through text and speech, someone says dog & you picture it).
George Partington 